“IP rights have sparked global discourse, especially in the area of patents, because they apply to everything from the medications and respirators for those who are sick, to the protective equipment required by health-care workers, to the vaccine(s) which we will all, ultimately, require.”
During the 4th Annual IP Data & Research Conference in March 2021, Jim Balsillie, CIGI chair and founder, along with Simon Kennedy, deputy minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, stressed the importance of IP ownership to economic success, the impact of COVID-19 on the demand for IP and the importance of data in driving decision making.
Earlier, CIGI Senior Fellows Karima Bawa and Myra J. Tawfik stressed that IP, and especially patents, should not get in the way of solutions to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Putting the collective good ahead of economic interests is crucial and facilitating collaborative development must be promoted.